Ginger Johnson Releases Trailblazing New Book on Marketing Beer to Women

Founder of Women Enjoying Beer Debuts Book During GABF Week

Ginger Johnson, founder of Women Enjoying Beer, is releasing a comprehensive new book that instructs beer-industry companies on how to properly market beer to female consumers.

The book — How to Market Beer to Women: Don’t Sell Me a PinkHammer — is a first-of-its-kind and valuable how-to book for the modern beer industry. The book’s insights are based on surveys Johnson conducted with female beer drinkers and Johnson’s eight years running Women Enjoying Beer, the nation’s only female-focused beer marketing company.

Johnson hopes the book will help fix a shortcoming in the beer industry.

“I wrote this book,” Johnson says, “because beer companies don’t completely & respectfully market beer to women. They are ridiculously overdue in realizing they must reach out to women with a dedicated effort. It’s not about pinkifying – that’s pandering. It’s about acknowledging with full respect that you want female beer drinkers to be your customers.”

“Women in America make 75-85% of all purchasing decisions,” Johnson notes, “and they can make or break beer companies. So it’s time for beer makers to retire the old sexist and juvenile jokes and get serious about beer and women. When beer pros and businesses get it, they’ll tap into a huge opportunity.”

On Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7 at 6 PM each night in the festival’s bookstore area, Johnson will sign copies of her new book at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

Wednesday, October 5 at 6 PM, Johnson will discuss her book at Kokopelli Beer Company as part of the brewery’s Women’s Wednesday series. Kokopelli is at 8931 N. Harlan St. in Westminster, CO.

Johnson’s main event for her book release takes place on Friday, October 7 at 1 PM at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret on the 16th St., Mall in downtown Denver. Johnson will conduct a “Beer Marketing to Women 101” class at this event and read excerpts from her book and discuss its findings. Admission is free and limited to 100 people.

Ska Brewing Company, Durango Colorado, is a major sponsor for this event. “I’ve long believed in Ginger’s work and message, that’s why we’ve worked with her before. We’re very glad to support the reason for this event: betterment for the whole beer world,” states Kristen Muraro, Ska Brewing Events Coordinator.

In many ways, How To Market Beer To Women ($49) showcases what Johnson has learned since starting her trailblazing company eight years ago. “In 2008,” Johnson recalls, “I looked around and wondered why more women weren’t enjoying beer like I was. That moment was the catalyst for my company and it has driven me ever since. The enjoyment of beer has been foundational to the development to the United States, and it’s a damn shame the beer industry has yet to fully recognize and address women as beer enthusiasts.”

A growing number of craft brewers have benefited from Johnson’s expertise and research.

“Let’s face it,” says Hugh Sisson, founder of Baltimore’s Clipper City Brewing, “the Craft Beer Industry – the beer industry in general – has tended to overlook the female side of the market. Ginger Johnson is not only adept at educating brewers to open their eyes to this under-served market segment, but she also gives brewers practical ways to reach this enormous audience.”

To all the fantastic people in Mexico making beer anew. Changing the definition to reach more people, talk about it, provide experiences and opportunities.

Salud!

Love love love my Mexican Colleagues in beer!

To these fantastic people, all who happen to be women, in doing all the above and waaaaaaay more. They’re having a ball, we can learn from them and I’m thrilled to say I know 2 of the 5. Eager now to meet the rest, preferably over Mexican beer and food, in Mexico.

Humbled and honored to be mentioned by Guillermina. The inspiration is mutual. She and Rebeca both showed me gracious and generous hospitality when I was in Mexico City for Congreso Cerveza Mexico a few years back. Can’t wait to return!

Being in Iowa to enjoy beer is not new to me. I founded Women Enjoying Beer when I was living in Ames years back. In fact, the very first interest group I hosted to see who might be willing to talk about women and beer happened there. When 28 people showed up to find out more, I knew I was onto something.

Fast forward to today: the first book on How To Market Beer To Women is coming out directly, I’ve been invited to work with dozens of clients across North America to teach, consult and advise on various elements of women and beer. This event was a sterling example of what I love to do: present, teach, entertain and taste. Turning on the brain for full engagement of flavor makes me very happy – and I truly believe it’s worthwhile.

When we talk about women and beer, we open up all sorts of other conversations.

The crowd was a mixed one, women and men alike, for which I laud groups for doing. The menu was a robust one, focused on Iowa Beers, cheese from The Cheese Shop and Dagoba Organic Chocolate. Is your mouth watering yet?

Ariane & Ginger at the event. Tasty success!

Big thanks to Ariane and the whole chapter as well as Anne and Rita from Lefty’s for making it all happen smoothly. Here’s the menu we enjoyed.

This clipping shouts NO WAY loud and clear. So imagine if you’re a check. Or a woman. Or whatever… Communication that states you’re distinctly unwelcome is discouraging at best.

As I get close to completing my first book on marketing beer to women, this little slip of paper I have kept for a few years seems to have jumped out at me today. “Use me!” it screamed….and aptly so.

Some establishments that serve beer welcome women. In fact some don’t look at “who” at all. Kudos to them.

Others judge us when we walk in; female, male, whatever. And that sets an unhelpful, disrespectful tone which holds us all back – and very much on purpose. If you’re plainly advertising that some element of society is not just unwelcome – that you’re excluded on purpose, then hell. It’s time to immediately turn around and find an environment with open arms.

Last week I was delivering a very lively and interactive presentation on the customer experience. At one point I told the audience, “Look – change is coming at you every day, no matter what you do. You may as well open up your arms and welcome it.” With a big nod to Mike who shared this brilliantly right insight years ago, it’s so damn true.

The choice to adapt – aka Change – is yours. The choice for beer makers, sellers, and purveyors to welcome women is theirs. Yes, we can scream bloody murder, we can rant, rave & protest.

Change will happen when the powers that be realize that change is marching forward whether they want it to or not – and then open their arms.

The place where I got this snippet of paper is closed today. While it might perhaps be a stretch to say their demise was based on not welcoming personal checks, I do believe that any time you choose to put up barriers to customer engagement, you’ve intentionally shot a hole in your own balloon.

Besides, checks are still very easily navigable at your banks. Sign your name, cash it – and then deposit the cash. (props to Mike Wagner for that tip). No risk, all deal, easy. Plus they’re not “unable” – they’re choosing not to. Big difference here.

Welcome your customers and how they transact. After all, what’s next after no checks?

Hiring the right brewer is. No matter the gender, hire the right brewer.

I get plenty of calls and emails from people who think they want to hire a female brewer; to, you know, get more women into brewing.

Excuse you…what???

I’m always encouraged and simultaneously nauseous at this thought; that someone wants a female brewer as a token of gender parity. Here’s the crux of the issue.

Women have always been involved in beer; the idea of a female brewer is not a new one.

Women as brewers does not automatically exonerate an entire industry flagrantly negligent at proactively bringing more women up and into the industry.

It’s got to start at a childhood level. Female children need to actively see and experience that the beer world can offer a worthwhile career, and not just to be a brewer.

There’s a whole world of purpose in beer, for livelihood and recreation. We must include females and women of all ages in every single beer conversation to make gender equity progress.

Don’t be offended if I send you this link when you tell me you want to hire a female brewer, and can I make some recommendations. To this request, I’ll tell you:

It’s about the qualified person, not the gender of the people who are qualified.

Inclusion must be pushed and actively managed through every age and stage of human development. Think I’m overstating it? I don’t.

Ask yourself: why do you think you want a female as a brewer? Do you also want a female as a ____? Or a male as a ____? Would you pick the wrong person in any role if you could help it? Do you look at other beer roles with the gender lens? If so, stop it. That does more damage than good. This isn’t about affirmative action – it’s about equity starting from birth.

We must ask you a question….

Would you call an Asian person to ask for a recommendation for an Asian brewer? How about an Africa? Or a transgender? No, I’m not being flippant or disrespectful. I’m being real. To qualify only on gender is a mistake.

There’s a very fat fine line to this entire idea: Yes, more women in beer would make it a MUCH better industry, hands down. And we must start at the beginning, not look for panaceas or bandages to slap over the sexism and problems the industry robustly has with gender inequity (if even supposedly inadvertently, though I don’t buy it).

We can change the entire industry in a very short time span. We can fulfill a much more gender equitable bill of lading, have a more realistic population representation within 5 – 10 years with everyone speaking up, and bringing up qualified people of all makes and models. This includes cleaning house of poor current employees, no matter their orientation.

Who said anything about gender having to do with talents, skills and potential?

So – if you ask me if I can recommend a few qualified females, would I help you find a female brewer – the answer is no. I’ll turn it around to ask you why a woman? Why in that position? And what have you done for the last – oh, say 20 years to promote gender parity overall?

Once you can reply to all of those, we can talk. Otherwise it’ll be empty, hollow and misguided (however ignorantly considered).

Everything is possible. More women in beer has gotta start with each and every one of us. And it doesn’t start with finding a female brewer.

I know from doing previous herstorical research that women have always been involved in beer and brewing. It started as a home chore, making liquid safe to drink when water was consistently onerous. Once the church decided to remove it from home-made to commercially made during the industrial and scientific revolutions, women were shoved aside, no longer the venerated makers of the elixir they once were.

Everyone needs to know about women and beer. Phil & Larry will be the first in line.

So where did the record keeping ball get dropped?

It’s a grossly unfortunate fact that much of women’s’ contributions throughout time have not been recorded; women not being seen with fully and equal value, hence the negligence of recording women’s beer herstory.

There’ll be no pity parties or Poor Me crap. No one wants to hear it, least of all me, and it won’t move the progress cart forward. So, here are your marching orders: help me record women & beer through herstory.

So it’s time to reinvigorate and renew our efforts to record how women have always been involved; bring the import of women & beer to the front row. Sing the praises of women far and wide for their participation in this originally home-cooking based beverage.

Tell me: who do you know involved in beer in any & every way?

Maker, home or pro.

Pro, in any possible capacity supporting the business and global industry of beer.

Enthusiast, all makes and models, ages and descriptions.

Educators, any level, every where, teaching some facet of life that touches beer.

Writers, reporters, journalists – every woman and female who exercises communication of beer.

Every other facet that we can possibly dream of.

I’d be grateful for your help, directions, and ideas to this end of creating a modern recollection of how women and beer go so well together. Thanks in advance for your help.

As I am entering the final few weeks of (at least one stage) of writing my first book on women & beer, I am running across some super fascinating and distracting insight. Women have graciously provided insight, opinions, and ideas for almost 8 years on their relationship with beer.

So today the word and concept Local is on my mind.

What does local mean to you?

What does it include and what does it discount? Why, for both, for you?

What’s your definition of Local?

For the book, I’ve worked on expounding on 10 fundamental questions from the original 2012 Women & Beer survey. The one that inspired this post is question 10: What does a beer company, restaurant, bar or distributor have to do to get you to buy from them more than once?

The connection and reply to this question is that a handful of women indicated that they’d return if the establishment carried, made or sold local beer.

So what does this mean – what exactly is local beer? And why do women want it?

This is where you come in. I’d appreciate your own opinion and reasoning to this query.

It used to be local meant down the street, in the same town and otherwise grown or made by someone nearabouts. Then it graduated to 100 miles; then 300. Now…well, to each their own definition (much like ‘craft’).

Is local better? Is it worse? Does it matter? If so, how so? If not, why not?

Beer companies of all sizes have big problems: They don’t know how to market to women.

Yep, its true. And everyone’s got the fever.

And there are solutions everywhere!! I’m writing my first book to this end – a guide-book on How To Marketing Beer To Women, since so many, frankly, stink to high heaven at it.

Being in business means knowing what you’re getting into to a certain degree, its knowing you have a boatload to learn – all the time – about being successful & seeking the help you need. It’s knowing who the heck your market is BEFORE you sign the lease, hire staff, and open the doors.

Women are the worlds largest human population. Women make the vast majority of spending and financial decisions in the household (regardless of make up of members). And women like favor.

So – when you’re ready to solve the problem, starting with your business (yes, everyone has it – don’t think you’re immune), call me. I can help.

Well, if the bathrooms are clean, if everything in the restrooms is in working order, then that directly correlates to the care given to the brewhouse and making beer.

Have you been to a brewery, brewpub, or tasting room and been impressed with the cleanliness? There’s a huge likelihood, then, of those same folks having clean and tidy bathrooms. Do the stall latches work? Great – I bet all the butterfly clamps in the brewhouse are working too.

Why? Because every detail matters to them. From the temperature of the air to the toilet paper dispensers being full to the lack or dirt in the corners to completely clean walls (no mold growing) in moist environs.

Cleanliness is the #1 factor in running a solid brewery, hands down. Cleanliness is one of the top factors female beer enthusiasts do and will notice in a beer focused establishment. It’s an easy factor to get right: be diligent, regular in maintenance, and keep it together.

Since I’m in the midst of writing the Women & Beer Guidebook: How To Market Beer To Women,bathrooms cleanliness comes up once again. (p.s. that’s still a working title…)

As both my editor Julie and brewer friend (and beta chapter reader) said, ‘we still need to talk about this?‘ Yep. As long as there are dirty bathrooms, women will equate them to, well – what else could or is dirty if the bathrooms are? As easy as it is to keep them clean, it’s equally easy to be lax and let them go. That’s why we’re still talking about this.

These were big words uttered by a long time hospitality pro during a very worthwhile panel at the 2015 TRA Marketplace. She said a mouth-full, for sure.

So how do we 1. know there’s a problem and 2. how do we change perception.

2015 TRA Marketplace Panel

In keeping with this being a site on women & beer, I’d relate it to a huge problem being the misnomer that women don’t drink or enjoy beer. While millions understand that’s simply not true, millions and billions more seem to think (actively or passively) that is it true.

So how do we change that perception, knowing there’s a problem.

Wait – first you want to know how I judge there’s a problem? Glad you asked.

Do a quick online search of articles on women and beer, beer labels and sexism in beer and it’ll come at you with lightning speed.

The problem, Houston, is that we’re making much ado about an incorrect and damning stereotype. I can tell you for a fact – women enjoy beer. Women enjoy beer, they enjoy wine, spirits, cider, mead and sake…and everything else out there any one person can enjoy. Like Nancy Nichols, the author of the cited piece above said, “don’t view your sex as a factor.”

There’s a misperception that certain alcoholic beverages hold a lock on a certain gender. It’s a bunch of bladerdash.

Think for yourself and with your own brains and taste buds. If you run into a misperception – when you run into a problem with this thinking – set the record straight.

Ain’t so such thing as a woman’s beer nor a man’s beer. To thine own taste buds be true and we’ll all make progress breaking down the sexism in beer.

When I put forth the 2012 Women + Beer survey, I was still pretty new to the idea of effective research. Sure, it’s easy to ask questions. Folks like to answer and talk about themselves.

The knack is to ask the question you’re really wanting people to consider and respond to.

One of the questions I asked was: Does size matter for your beer?

What I should have asked was: Does size of serving or strength of alcohol matter?

What I got was a whole avalanche of input and insight that was so much richer than I had intended, and happily so.

In working today on the chapter draft covering that question, I am reminded that specific is terrific (with a nod to Mark G for that gem). Specificity is critical in doing research for a number of reasons.

Being specific will provide critical focus to your work.

Specificity will make it easier to move forward with other specific queries – one step and specific question at a time.

It allows for elimination, which, in research, is really a helpful concept too.

Yes, size matters…in context and with explanation and specificity.

As I keep writing this draft, it’s both entertaining and re-educational to read the hundreds of replies to that age-old snicker-inducing question: does size matter.

You’ll have to wait for the book (due September 2016) to read the whole thing. Suffice to say a qualified “yes” is the answer. AND you have to have the context around it and what “yes” actually means, since there are qualifiers for yes’s and no’s.

Stay tuned. And in the meantime, enjoy the beer you like, in whatever serving size & strength you like. Doing so with friends makes life taste even better.

Whenever we speak up about what you support and believe in, we can make progress forward. Indeed, when I applied to give my first TED talk (April 2015), I didn’t realize it was going to land firmly in the humor-cum-gender-equity arena.

So it goes for me. Why I can’t keep my mouth shut is the same reason I have a damn near impossible time not piping up when I see, read, and otherwise witness some sort of insult to gender related to beer.

Open your mouth…

The primary reason: it’s not necessary in anyway shape or form. Great brands lead by people who understand smart business rely on the quality factors, on consistency and on opportunity. Education for all with beer & women & men will move the progress needed forward. Gender equality is good for all.

So – speak up for your beer. Speak up for gender equity. Speak out against any -isms that we unhelpful to all of the above.

That question, along with 9 others, is forming the foundation of my first women + beer book, due out this fall.

It’s a curious, often snicker inducing, question that deserves full respect.

Book it!

First of all, I have learned I should have asked a more specific question: Does serving size of your beer matter? – or – Does the ABV (size?) matter? – or – Does having options to pick a size of serving you want matter? – or…there are a few others which you can read about when the book comes out.

Overall, I’m really glad I fumbled the question! Without the unintended open-ended query I gave women, they would have never given me deeper, broader, and more useful insight and information.

Good humor reigns supreme and the vast majority of women’s written replies were straightforward and covered a lot of ground. As I’ve been working on grouping the patterns in each of the questions for the book, it’s been a refreshment of purpose, making me smile and look forward to the tough job of writing a book. Seriously, I’ve no romantic visions of writing one – it’s a lot of work, which transplants other work. As my own boss and Person In Charge of Making Income, it’s no small commitment to set aside chunks of writing time to get this bird off the ground.

I’m grateful for all my friends and colleagues who have written books and have given me the benefit of their valuable insight, advice, and suggestions. And I am love love loving working with my Editor! These people make the world of difference in this protracted process, for sure.

Please nudge me in the coming months and ask how it’s progressing. Your encouragement is always noticed and appreciated.

Last year about this time I found myself in a self-imposed experiment: watch the entire Superbowl from start to finish and really look at the advertisements between play. No pre-game show, thanks – it was enough of an investment for me to simply sit through 3 hours of American football.

I had asked the general public for volunteers who wanted to scope out their local beer retailers to make observations on the beer displays they found. Thanks to Joanna in Orlando and Leslie in Monterey among them for contributing their thoughts.

Overall their thoughts were what I’d call positive: no huge gender influence or sexism. YES! It’s a small victory for women and beer and I hope that continues for a long time.

What have you seen for beer ads so far? Displays in your grocers or alcohol stores?

So what was the result of my watchings?

Well, it was a large variety of companies and purposes. You can watch them here. The most profound one to me was the domestic abuse commercial, based on a real chilling phone conversation of a woman calling 911 – unbeknownst to whomever was in the house threatening her – under the guise of ordering a pizza.

They ranged from tax service companies to cars to TV programs to snack foods and, of course, ubiquitous beer ads. I loved this one from Reebok, as it was suited to the event and focuses on their core message and strength of everyone. Kudos!

As it stood, Budweiser was the beer sponsor of the event so it only makes sense to only see their ads. How much does an ad cost during the game? Find out here – and you better be sitting down.

What I was glad to observe was that, while there were certainly questionable ads as far as sexism goes, the offenders were other than beer. I’d give them a pass (the other companies) and say they were simply silly, wondering why they even put the particular ad up during Superbowl. Yet that would lessen the overall message of making sure sexism in all forms is banished and inappropriate no matter the products and services advertised. So I won’t.

A few head scratchers were:

Why was there a male voice over for the female Paralympian Amy Purdy? Why wasn’t a women chosen?

Why the sexed up animals in the tortoise and hare ad?

No females in any of the car ads.

Women make between 75-85% of all purchases. Who’s forgetting this fact? A whole bunch of people working for a whole bunch of different companies apparently. Those who remember will see benefits far and wide in so many ways. Most importantly for building equality for all, the globe over.

The Superbowl is on iconic televised event – those advertisers could help change the world for the better by promoting gender equity and respect instead of the same old tired sexist forays. What an incredible opportunity for those who can see the forest and the trees!

If you decide to watch the bowl this weekend and want to share your thoughts on the ads, I’d love to hear it all.

I’ll thank my family (again) for participating in the exercise with me last year. It won’t happen anytime in the near future, though I’m sure I’ll still be curious about the ads as many of us are.

I don’t yet have the pleasure of having talked to Mr. Schonbrun, since I was not contacted by him for this piece, and I’ve already ticked off some others. So be it. The voices of others not represented and fully acknowledged weren’t even included in this article: female beer consumers and buyers.

Here’s what I agree with from Mr. Schonbrun’s article.

It’s good he’s writing about a topic which, sadly, should have been equalized millenia ago. I thank him for bringing to light a matter of gender equity. Yes, women + beer is about equity, not about beer at all in the big scheme of things.

A publication of such note and influence internationally like the New York Times is a great place to share information, insight and knowledge.

He contacted some interesting sources to cite and quote. Not knowing his record of accuracy in work, I’ll assume he’s sound in his practices to be accurate and careful. And I appreciate his efforts to seemingly accurately put forth with his sources shared with him.

I sincerely hope it gets a lot of people talking about how poorly beer represents women and I hope the many woman who tell others to “relax and have a beer” about this rethink their glib attitudes. Indeed, did they have relatives and loved ones in their family & friend trees who died in human rights struggles to so carelessly tell me to chill? More importantly I hope it moves you to action. Stand up, step up, speak up.

The article opens:

“For years, one of the main criticisms of beer advertising was that it tended to either objectify women or disregard them entirely. Marketers seemed to be too busy trying to appeal to the young male audience they knew would consistently drink beer by the case to worry about anyone else.

Now, that appears to be changing.”

As an impatient optimist, I’d like to believe this statement. However I’m skeptical. I’m skeptical by the fact that we’re still myopic when it comes to gender, that people still judge ability on sex when it’s such a ludicrous idea.

I’m skeptical because I know that companies everywhere, of all goods & services including beer, would be better off to throw off the yoke of sexism and embrace people of all makes and models as their potential audience. How could conditions not improve by opening minds to opportunity and education? That’s the crux of the issue here, not beer.

I’m skeptical because so many articles and pieces which influence thinking are monolithic. Beer isn’t monolithic, women aren’t monolithic, business isn’t monolithic and brands aren’t monolithic even though some of them have put way too many of their own eggs in one basket. Nothing is monolithic except true monoliths, like these. To lump everything of every category into one narrow window of definition is dangerous for everyone.

Skepticism is joined by astonishment as the article continues:

” ‘It was fine to show a frat party making fun of girls five or eight years ago,’ Mr. Adamson said. ‘But it’s ineffective and potentially damaging to do today.’ “

Mr. Adamson is the former chairman of the brand consulting firm Landor Associates. Let’s ponder his comments for a moment.

First of all, the actual definition of a ‘girl’ = a female child. It’s denigrating to have someone who is supposed to be in a position of impact and authority start off with a gross indicator of disrespect. Women & females are appropriate and full respect titles; girls are girls and they are different. It’s easy to get it right. He got it wrong.

Next, it was never ‘fine’ and has never been fine nor will it ever be fine. He’s telling the world that it’s okay to disrespect, dismiss, and in general dis women outright and accept and welcome the ‘frat party’ humor that reduces us all. Mr. Adamson needs to work at a women’s abuse shelter for a bit of reality of how much farther we still need to go to develop gender equity.

Enter David Kroll.

“The number [of female beer drinkers] astounded David Kroll, who became chief marketing officer at MillerCoors in July. “Disappointing,” Mr. Kroll said in an interview, “that we weren’t speaking to women.”

I find it astounding that Mr. Kroll, in this global role, is so apparently clueless to the true state of marketing to women. Maybe I’ll send him a copy of Marti Barletta’s book as education. How does someone inserted into the role of the head of a global brand company ascend with such ignorance? How can one be astounded when the fact is that females are herstorically over half of the global human population*? How can a massive business be so self-blind to the fact that women make 75 – 85% of all purchases, across categories? How is that even possible?

“The thought of being fully inclusive to women, when you speak to millennials, they’re like, ‘Yeah, duh,’ ” Mr. Kroll said. “In some respects, beer is just catching up to the millennial mind-set.”

No, Mr. Kroll. The reality is beer of all size isn’t paying attention to the full range of the drinking age population. See above*. All you seem to be concerned with is sticking to and trying to stitch & mend a brand which hasn’t changed with the times. Strong brands are always evaluating the landscape; many beer companies of all sizes continue to focus on the young male, which is foolish, short sighted, outmoded and will eventually sink ships. That’s your aha moment right there.

And then there’s this from Heineken.

“Heineken has recently appealed to “moderate drinkers” with a new ad that suggests modern women will be more attracted to men who drink less. The latest commercial, one of three since the campaign began in 2011, features women singing the Bonnie Tyler song “I Need a Hero” as they walk away from ostensibly inebriated men.”

Newsflash: Women who enjoy drinking beer don’t need men to do it or even sanction their own activities. That’s archaic thinking. And who the heck says women ‘need a hero’ in a man? (How do lesbians think about all this by the way?) This idea only perpetuates the ‘need’ for women to have men. It only underscores the inaccurate shoring up of the false ground that females need males. Women need to be strong women in their own right. The irony is that beer ads targeted towards men don’t indicate a ‘need’ for them to have smart women. Good grief! This just gets more ridiculous…

“Some brands have also introduced new products to attract women in recent years, though results have been mixed. In 2011, for instance, Molson Coors introduced a “bloat resistant” beer called Animée that came in different flavors and colors, while the Carlsberg Group created a gender-neutral beer called Copenhagen with a minimalist aesthetic that resembled a sleek bottle of white wine. Both were short-lived.”

This makes me want to laugh out loud – and laugh I must as the sheer idiocy of the apparent brand think of Molson Coors and Carlsberg. The key here is they are clearly NOT doing market research to find out what women of varied vantage points want from their relationship with beer. I’ve done 7+ years of qualitative research talking and listening directly to women all over the USA (with some international voices chiming in, happily) and it’s never once come from a women that she wants a “bloat resistant” beer. If Molson Coors, Heineken, Carlsberg, ANYONE wants to know what women want, they need to directly ask women with no brand influence to speak up.

The whole Copenhagen campaign – where did that come from? It would seem to me Carlsberg should have marketed that towards wine lovers if it was modeled after a “sleek bottle of white wine” (and does red wine feel left out here?).

If they did that, if they really asked women what they want from beer, why they do and don’t engage, they will find a treasure trove of insight – useful immediately impactful insight from women who are eager to be heard. And not lumped or grouped. It makes me wonder, do males resent being lumped in the frat party stereotype like many women hate the T&A?

The truly sad part of seeing this about Carlsberg is the fact that they have some brilliant marketing out there – wow!! It’s right on with humor, focusing on the beer, and really tapping into the beer drinkers enthusiasm. How did it go so drastically off kitler?

We are all more than the sum of our parts. We are our brains, our taste buds, our beliefs. We are all different and all unique and therefore this article is a real (good) slap in the face to get people thinking about women and beer.

“Anheuser-Busch, on the other hand, has had some success with its fruit-tasting Bud Light Lime Rita range since 2012. Hard ciders grew 13 percent in 2015, while other flavored malt beverages gained 10 percent, according to Nielsen. “

This paragraph seems to stand alone, perhaps by inference in its placement in the article the author is stating that ABI has been marketing the above products towards women; though I don’t want to assume. It’s an absolute ball of hogwash to think that women are first attracted to fruit & sweet and that they should be sold cider & FMB’s. What an insult to everyone’s intelligence to think that. It’s long been recorded that all humans go towards sweet flavors, base don our preherstoric need to survive, thus looking at caloric rich sometimes sweet food sources to survive. Clearly we’re way beyond that….or are we….? Let’s move on.

“When it comes to gender-neutral advertising, though, the brand consultant Dean Crutchfield says that Coors Light, which has long sought to portray a robust masculinity in its marketing, is taking a considerable risk.

First of all, where did the idea come from that beer has any gender to it at all? Women have long been the worlds brewers as well as consumers. We drank beer originally to boil away harmful nasties in water to make it safe to drink and somewhere along the way we developed the rut of think that Beer Is For Men. It’s illogical and unfounded. Secondly, we’re only doing a disservice to men who drink beer here as well. Really? Yes, really. If the pressure on men is that need to drink, guzzle and otherwise be the primary beer drinkers, then we’ve just shot a lot of flavor opportunities in the foot, as well as disrespected men in the process.

I agree with Mr Crutchfield in that alienating your core market is risky. That said, if the brands would have and would now recognize who is doing the majority buying and address that person, then they’d build their own safety net. Market share takes commitment to build, develop and nurture. To upend those who have stood by you is bad business. However it’s worse business to purposefully ignore those who are actually doing the shoring up of the brand: the buyers, who in this case and many, are women. Where the heck are you acknowledging her?

It isn’t sudden for women to be drinking beer. It’s been going on as long as here have been humans making beer. It’s not sudden to turn a corner to better market your brands to address, acknowledge and purse females in various ways. Risky – maybe, though it’s sheer stupidity by choice if you stay a course which isn’t working. Steer away from the rocks, find the open sea. Remember: none of this is monolithic.

Which brings us to Ms. Dougherty, whom I’ve read about previously.

“Britt Dougherty, MillerCoors’s senior director of marketing insights, says that women rarely self-identify as beer drinkers, and that beer companies have not done a good job trying to recruit them. According to Ms. Dougherty’s estimates, a more gender-friendly advertising approach could add from five million to nine million barrels to the industry’s sales in the United States over the next five years.

“It takes time to undo that baggage,” she said.

She really needs to get out and be among women and ask them how they self identify, because it’s obvious to me she’s not even doing that yet stating as much. She’s right when she says beer companies have not done a good job recruiting them, for sure! And – with a nod to Jackie – all beer companies are in this pool, size doesn’t matter here. We simply think the Bigs are guilty, smalls are guiltless because we see the wide spread campaigns of the bigs and not the smalls.

The Statement of Miff here is this: “We’ve represented a version of masculinity that wasn’t appealing to women.” Seriously. Why are you trying to appeal to women by marketing to men? That’s what this statement tells me and of course it’s absolutely the wrong tact. We don’t market tampons to men who care about women, we don’t talk about eldercare with teenagers with grandparents. If this is her vantage point, I’d be glad to meet with her over a beer and discuss.

And finally, to satisfy Ms. Dodd’s question of what I took offense to, here she is in closing the article:

“Jackie Dodd, who runs the popular cooking and beer blog The Beeroness, said she felt that craft beers, or microbrews, had always been about community and collaboration, including male and female brewers.

“I don’t think craft beer ever marketed towards women, they just valued them and that conveyed,” Ms. Dodd wrote in an email. “I’m not sure macro can do that, or even knows how. But if they can, more power to them.”

I’ve no beef with Ms. Dodd. As a comrade in kitchen pursuits, I appreciate her inventiveness and yes, Jackie, we are all entitled to our own opinions. So you get to respect mine like I’ll respect yours.

What smacked of incredulity is the fact you are using terms which aren’t helpful, in fact damaging, to the beer universe in general, macro & microbrews among them; ‘craft’ is a useful word in the industry but confusing and ill applied in the consumer world. Plus your so-called “microbreweries” are just as bad at sexism as any larger capacity brands. Take a quick internet search break and google sexist beer ads; tell me what you come up with and from which breweries of what size. I say let’s just call it beer.

And finally the subtle back-handed complement: “But if they can, more power to them.” Size has nothing to do with ability.

So, there you have my take. This was overdue in coming forth.

Thank you Mr. Schonbrun for your piece; please be in touch with me when I may be at your service as a singular resource with a much deeper pool of insight on women and beer. Same goes for all the others in the article. You’ve certainly fired up my resolve to keep at my endeavors to educate and enlighten. I’ll buy the first beer the next time we are in the same room.

Now, back to my book draft on women and why they drink beer…..onward. Cheers.

“Fixing the gender problem in Hollywood is important for women like [Director Leigh] Janiak. But it’s also important for women and girls everywhere.’We are influencing culture, which is why it’s so dangerous, I think, not to have more women making movies,’…”

So today I want your help. I want to know which women you know who write about beer professionally. No, not bloggers or cut-and-pasters or journalistic wanna-bes; we’re looking for the real professional deal here – any length of pro [paid] writing is valid.

They also need to be referenced as experts cited for their efforts and work. The Smithsonian Magazine recently got an email from me to that end. There’s a big fat gaping hole that needs to be addressed at that publication: enormous lack female subjects and experts as well as covers and experts cited. And though it’s a different genre, we’re still all in it together. Every instance of non-equitable gender representation matters. I’ll be mildly shocked, by the way, if I even hear back from The Smithsonian on my comment and call to action.

At a minimum I spoke up. And you can guarantee I’ll keep speaking up. You need to as well.

Comment here to share who you know so we can get a better look. There’s a HUGE dearth of the female perspective – and we have to hold the publications accountable as such.

Then – after you do so – directly contact the beer publications to hire them. There’s no good excuse why there should be an imbalance of gender in writing. If you’re a female beer writer, assertively pursue the work available and create your own ideas to make it easier for publishers and editors to say yes. Ask the editors you work with who have a big picture of the landscape to help you improve; ask them for suggestions on education opportunities. You must still be a good writer before you focus on gender.

‘Tis the season to pour a delicious beverage and tell people what you think!

If you’re a woman and have an opinion about beer, please contribute.

Here’s the link – and it’s easy to remember as well: womenenjoyingbeer.com/survey2015

Thanks for your input!Men – forward to the great women in your lives please.

Why are we doing this? In 2012 we put forth a 50 question survey – the first of its kind anywhere – for women to share their insights, opinions and thoughts on their relationship with beer.

Response was explosive! And I’ve started writing the (first) book with the insight. To make sure we’re still correct on much of the data shared, I’m offering this brief period for more to reply, whether new opinions or previous ones with an updated lens. Surveys will be accepted until December 31st, 2015.

It’s a quick 10 questions, fun to answer and all replies are very much appreciated.

Then come to this highly interactive and educational workshop with the industry expert and leader of women + beer, Ginger Johnson, and take away insight you can apply immediately for increased and improved business success.

Tom Horst/Crystal Springs Brewing & Ginger at BBBB 2014

With enormous possible market share development, smart marketing in the beer world requires examination of women as buyers and consumers. This entertaining and enjoyable session is well worthwhile to those who want to learn more about the Why Behind The Buy for women.

Women Enjoying Beer is the only business on the planet dedicated to talking with women about their relationship with beer. Her first TED talk covered beer and women, April 2015. As a qualitative researcher, she finds out the why behind the buy and all the decisions making influencers of women + beer. Founded in late 2008, Ginger has been invited to present/be part of multiple international events including CBC, NBWA, Toronto’s Festival of Beer, SAVOR, Congresso Cervesa Mexico as well as many other industries’ conventions and events including the National Restaurant Association, CIA/St Helena, Whistler/BC Bike, and Texas Restaurant Association. Her BeerRadio program ran strong for 4 years, she’s featured in the award-winning documentary For The Love Of Beer, dozens of TV spots, and has written about and been included in many articles in publications including The New Brewer, All About Beer, IBD, and various beer and other industry publications.